Letting go

I look down at her golden hair

tied neatly back with a pink bow

She cried when I put it in this morning

now all the tears are gone

Her little warm hand in mine

the softness of her palm

I can just hear her faint whisper:

Don't leave me alone here, mom!

Biting her lip she stares at the others,

her deep green eyes darting around

That slight wrinkling of her brow that she

gets when she is worried

A shiver of anticipation and excitement,

her new shoes shuffling gravel on the ground

I bend down and caress her face

drinking in the sweet aroma of my girl

Toothpaste and shampoo

peanut butter and jelly

Closing my eyes I exhale and cradle her

deep into my soul, not wanting to let go

Wait! I'm not ready

Give me another chance to do it again

But she pulls away from my safe arms

and runs toward the stairs

I see her pink backpack bouncing

and my heart leaps

just as she turns and waves

and smiles

and then she is gone...